INTRODUCTION
Culture is a very complex term. It is not only the manifestation of arts religious festivals. It has wide connotations and may be seen as a deep analysis of the social behaviour, human knowledge, belief, values, etc. Different anthropologists, sociologists, historians and politicians have defined culture differently according to their own perspectives and ideas, C.N. Shankar Rao (2007) explains it thus,
The term āCultureā is given a wide variety of meanings and interpretations ā¦ The man of culture has good manners and good taste. Further, one may be inclined to believe that a Bachelor of Arts degree possesses ābetterā culture than others. In sociology ācultureā does not mean personal refinement.
Historians use the word ācultureā in yet another way to refer to the so called āhigherā achievements of group of life or of a period of history. By āhigherā achievements they mean achievements in art, music, literatures, philosophy, religion and science.
Anthropologist Edwards B. Tylor (1871) defined culture as a ācomplex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of societyā.
Again, in the words of E.V. de Roberty āCultureā is defined as āthe body of thought and knowledge, both theoretical and practical, which only man can possessā.
Explaining about culture, sociologists R.M. MacIver and Charles remarked, āā¦ certainly all cultural change involves social change, for, as we have seen, the social and the cultural are closely interwovenā.
From these different viewpoints about culture, it is clear that culture, as such, is a very complex term which entails various shades of meaning according to the area and perspective in which it is employed. Moreover culture is specific according to different societies. A society always has its own distinct and well-marked culture. Nevertheless, a particular culture is never static and is always dynamic due to the various confluences and influences it absorbs from time to time.
TWENTIETH-CENTURY SOCIO-POLITICAL ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL CHANGES
The twentieth century has been a great milestone in the history of Manipuri society. There have been significant changes in the socioeconomic and political scenario during this century. These changes have, in turn influenced the outlook of society. Among these various changes an important one is the introduction of British education modelled on the Western education system. Unlike the previous generation who had no opportunity to get formal education, people in Manipur had access to schools established by the British in Manipur during the twentieth century. The students learnt a variety of subjects including languages like English, Bengali and Hindi. All these changes after a period of time contributed immensely in making the Manipuri culture and society more erudite and cosmopolitan. Some Manipuris also gained access to higher education in premier institutions outside the state. And when they returned they were highly imbued with new forms of knowledge in every field. Further, the new found influences related to higher education were applied and experimented in the creation of various cultural significations like music, dance, and art in general.
UDAY SHANKAR
Shri Uday Shankar (1900-77) is a world famous dancer for his creation of a new type of Indian dance. Though he was not formally schooled in dance and music, he became a world famous dancer by virtue of a favourable conjunction of good fortune, aptness and opportunity. His novel creation of dance came to be known as the Oriental Dance.
In 1920, when he was quite young, he went to London to study painting at the Royal College of Arts under William Rothenstein. There he availed a good chance of meeting the famous ballerina Anna Pavlova who came to the city for an extensive tour. Since the ballerina wanted to include some dance based on Indian mythology and legends in her programmes, she inducted Uday Shankar in her troupe. Later, when Uday Shankar gave a performance with Anna Pavlova of Radha-Krishna ballet at Manhatan Opera of New York in 1929, he suddenly became famous. āPavlova wanted a partner for Radha-Krishna ballet, and picked up Shankar for the purpose. The first performance of Radha-Krishna ballet was held at the Manhattan Opera House of New York in 1923ā, wrote P. Banerji, 1982: 2.
Completely diverting from the time honoured tradition and usage of Indian dance, he created quite a different dance accompanied with Western music but thematically based on Hindu mythology and legends. In the traditional Indian custom and tradition, song and music precede dance and the dancer dances to the tune and rhythm of the music. But in his novel dance, the steps, gestures and body languages are performed first and the musical accompaniment is adopted to suit the dancing. This was quite contrary to the well founded Indian style. In fact, his early dance compositions were done mainly to attract the Western audience by adding episodes of Indian mythology and pathas of life. For that reason, Uday Shakarās new dance gained popularity among Western audience and it came to be known as the oriental dance.
It is mentioned in āAsian Danceā by Kapila Vatsyayan (2011: 113): āUday Shankar may or may not have done it knowingly, but he had, by adopting these two distinct modes, laid the foundation of what may be termed modern dance, as opposed to any of the classical Indian dance forms. His style came to be known as the āOriental Danceā.ā
THE ORIENTAL DANCE
The dance known as the oriental dance is a dance which is generally choreographed based on an event or episode in Hindu mythology or religious scriptures and displayed as a play through the medium of dance. It expresses the vivid imaginative power and skill of the artiste very differently from traditional dance forms and is a new genre of dance created to suit an individual dancer. It is fairly free from the traditional norms and rules as it chooses its own types of dress, music, gesture and body language and also in its composition based on an episode or event from history or legend or the Purana, and in the display of the dancerās skill to the fullest. Acrobatic skills and difficult physical movements like those of an acrobat are also adapted for high visual effect and enjoyment.
THE GENESIS AND HIS ORIENTAL DANCE
In about 1930, Uday Shankarās dance compositions such as Shiva Tandav, Shiva Parbati, Pramila Arjun, Rhythm of Life, Integral Melody, etc., were reviewed with pictures in leading English newspapers of India, like The Hindu, The Tribune, The Indian Express, etc. Gradually, the dance called the oriental dance spread to every nook and corner of India. In Manipur also, Uday Shakarās Oriental dance movement influenced some educated young people who began to compose dances it in their own ways.
LEADING EXPONENTS OF ORIENTAL DANCE IN MANIPUR
The orintal dance form of Uday Shankar was made popular in Manipur. The second quarter of twentieth century by some Manipuri youths who had seen educated in Assam. Some the them were Rajkumar Priyagopalsana, Bachaspatimayum Shantikishar Sharma, Yambem Meghabir Singh, Nongmaithem Sudhir Singh, Akoijam Indubhushan Singh and Guruaribam Baldev Sharma, etc.
RAJKUMAR PRIYOGOPALSANA (1910-2000)
Rajkumar Priyogopalsana Singh was born on 4 June 1910 to noted Nata Singer Rajkumar Suryaborosana of Thangmeib and Lourung Purel Leikai. After of matricualting from Sir James Johnston High School he studied at Cotton College, Guwahati and passed I.A. Shri Rajkumar Priyogopalsana may rightly be regarded as the Uday Shankar of Manipur. The former was junior to the latter only by ten years. At the time when Uday Shankar became famous throughout Europe, Priyogopalsana was in Cotton College, Guwahati. On seeing the acclamations and pictures of Uday Shankarās dance in the English newspaper, Priyogopalsana also began to dream of emulating him and began to compose new dances of his own. Having a sound family background in dance and music he blended innate artistic talents, comeliness and good gesture in his dances. Without much training in the art of dance he could sway the audience of Assam through his dance when he was a college student. He was given the award of Nataraj by Earlās Law College, Gawahati when he was only twenty-two years. With this he at once became a renowned artiste.
In the manner of Uday Shankarās famous compositions like Shiva Tandav, Shiv Parvati, etc., Rajkumar Priyogopal Singh also choreographed dances, like Shiva Tandav, Shiva Sankar, Kamsabodh and Khamba, etc., one after another and it was much appreciated throughout India. The newspaper, Scardale Luquirer published in New York on 14 October 1955 said,
Priyogopal, world famous Hindu dancer from Manipurā¦. Priyogopal became famous throughout India, and then felt the call to introduced his authentic dance forms to the rest of the world. He has founded several dance centres in India to preserve and cultivate the ancient dances. He has toured Australia and New Zealand under the auspices of the Board of Adult Education, and has received acclaim in his tours of the United States of Canada.
BACHASPATIMAYUM SHANTIKISHWAR SHARMA (1912-54)
Bachaspatimayum Shantikishwar Sharma, son of Shri Bachas-patimayum Tatwabir Sharma popularly known as Tabapi Sharma, a drummer and dance teacher of Khwai Brahmapur Bachaspati Leikai was born in 1912. Born in a family of sound background of music and to a couple devoted to dance, Shantikishwar Sharma had a special skill of drum, dance and music. When he was a considerably grown up boy he began to learn the drum from the renowned drummer Shri Ariba...
